this is for the brave : august 9, 2021

I am trying to understand why there is still a stigma around therapy.

There's been a big awakening to it in my generation which has led many to see therapy truly as a good thing. At the same time some wouldn't be caught dead in therapy. And by therapy... I mean the wide range of options we now have.

As I study the history of psychology I realize that we all refer to and acknowledge some of the trail blazers of understanding the self without shame but with reverence.

And still stigma, judgement, denial, shame etc. hang around in the air.

Let me be clear: Therapy is for the brave.

Not the brave that need to wear their armor in battle but those willing to take it off and be seen.

The ones that went before us forming psychology into what it is today were all questing for the deepening of self. The understanding of the relationship to self and to others. The curiousity of why we do what we do. How can we find freedom inside ourselves?

There are many roads to healing and therapy can take many forms. For me there's nothing like working with a professional compared to my other therapies (dance, yoga, nature etc.) They are literally trained to hold space, provide tools ...

I personally am more interested in a better relationship with myself, freedom from my triggers, and better relationships with others.

I want to end by saying: there is no weakness in seeking help, only intense bravery and one hell of an outcome on the other side. It gets harder before easier.